Asian Classics

Completed in the early 11th century, The Tale of Genji is considered the supreme masterpiece of Japanese prose literature, and one of the world's earliest novels. A work of great length, it comprises six parts, the first part of which (also called The Tale of Genji) is reprinted here. The exact origins of this remarkable saga of the nobility of Heian Japan remain somewhat obscured by time, although its author, Lady Shikibu Murasaki, presumably derived many of her insights into court life from her years of service with the royal family.

The Republic poses questions that endure: What is justice? What form of community fosters the best possible life for human beings? What is the nature and destiny of the soul? What form of education provides the best leaders for a good republic? What are the various forms of poetry and the other arts, and which ones should be fostered and which ones should be discouraged? How does knowing differ from believing?

Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into...

Abridged Edition Curated Selections from the definitive, career-spanning collection of writing from Anthony Bourdain, assembled for the first time and read by Tony with Dion Graham, Kimberly Witherspoon, Kaleo Griffith, David Colacci, and Chris Patton. Anthony Bourdain represented many things to...

The subject of Kokoro, which can be translated as 'the heart of things' or as 'feeling,' is the delicate matter of the contrast between the meanings the various parties of a relationship attach to it. In the course of this exploration, Soseki brilliantly describes different levels of friendship, family relationships, and the devices by which men attempt to escape from their fundamental loneliness. The novel sustains throughout its length something approaching poetry, and it is rich in understanding and insight.

Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, activist, and visual artist. Deeply thoughtful and spiritual, Gibran was also considered a philosopher although he rejected the title. Gibran is celebrated as a literary hero in Lebanon. He is widely considered the single most important influence on Arabic poetry and literature during the first half of the twentieth century. Contents: Sand and Foam, The Prophet, The Madman, His Parables And Poems.

Lu Xun (1881-1936) was born in Shaoxing, in the province of Zhejiang, China. He came from a scholar-official family and by the age of six had begun studying the ancient classics. Regarded as the founder of contemporary Chinese literature, Lu Xun used the pen as a weapon to wage an heroic struggle against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism. The rich heritage he has left behind is a treasure in the literature of the Chinese people.

A Chinese Lord of the Rings and one of the all-time great fantasy novels--which Neil Gaiman has said "is in the DNA of 1.5 billion people"--now in a thrilling new translation A shape-shifting trickster on a kung-fu quest for eternal life, Monkey King is one of the most memorable superheroes in...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE A cult classic and Los Angeles Times Book of the Year, this sharp, insightful novel by New Yorker contributor Han Ong explores racial and social hierarchy, personal identity, and alienation. William Paulinha—a resourceful gay Filipino sex...

The original mindfulness book, in a landmark new translation by the award-winning translator of the I Ching and The Art of War The most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or “Book of the Tao,” is a guide to cultivating a life of peace, serenity, and compassion...

“Keenly observant and wryly funny. . . . A vital, utterly unexpected novel, Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies is a fresh and riotous gift of fiction.” —Quill & Quire, *STARRED REVIEW!* A young woman signs her life away in the ancient Chinese tradition of corpse marriage in this...

Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into...

"Emily Woo Zeller offers an exciting narration of this sapphic TREASURE ISLAND retelling with Asian characters." -Audiofile Magazine This program features an author's note, read by the author Two intrepid girls hunt for a legendary treasure on the deadly high seas in this YA remix of the classic...

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2026 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE BOSTON GLOBE, GOODREADS, LITERARY HUB, AND THE MILLIONS “Who is a greater novelist than Chang-rae Lee?”—The Los Angeles Times "He has redefined not only what it means to be American, but the fabric of the Great American Novel...

A Goodreads Editors’ Pick | A Boston Globe Best Book of the Summer | A Time and LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year | A People Most Anticipated Summer Read A spellbinding story collection from Booker Prize finalist Ruth Ozeki, about the lives we almost lived, the people we can’t quite...

This program features multicast narration. From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic journey unlike any other. There is no escaping the Empire. Even in death, you will serve. In an Empire run on necromancy...

"Strong female characters, interesting new magical elements, and creative world-building show off the work of the author of Wintersong. The story is enhanced by Chin's talented narration." - AudioFile Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined...

A fiendishly clever, yet cozy entry in the much-loved mystery series starring Judge Dee, whom the Los Angeles Times ranked with Sherlock Holmes. Early in his career, Judge Dee visits a senior magistrate who shows him a beautiful lacquer screen on which a scene of lovers has been mysteriously...

Over two centuries have passed since his death on 4 May 1799, yet Tipu Sultan’s contested legacy continues to perplex India and her contemporary politics. A fascinating and enigmatic figure in India’s military past, he remains a modern historian’s biggest puzzle as he simultaneously means...

A new selection of Yukio Mishima (author of Spring Snow and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea) short stories from the 1960s—his final decade—Voices of the Fallen Heroes offers a unique glimpse into the mind of one of Japan’s greatest writers. In the title story, "Voices of the...